22 Days Silk Road Tour through Northwest China

Day 1

Arrival in Guangzhou

Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement

Upon arrival in Guangzhou, you will be met at airport and transferred to hotel for check-in. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.

Day 2

Guangzhou/Lanzhou (B, L)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Gansu Provincial Museum

This morning you will be transferred to airport and take flight to Lanzhou.

Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to hotel. After lunch you will visit Gansu Provincial Museum. The Gansu Provincial Museum, is one of the city's best attractions and features 75,000 cultural relics, including some of China's most famed. There are five main exhibition halls, namely the Hall of Gansu Historical Relics, the Hall of Gansu Natural Resources, the Hall of Jiayuguan Murals of Wei and Jin Period, the Hall of the Yellow River Ancient Elephants, and the Hall of Red Army's Long March via Gansu. Each of these clearly marks out a very different period in Chinese history.

Day 3

Lanzhou/Xiahe (B, L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Bingling Temple

This morning you will have a visit to Bingling Temple. Also called Bingling Thousand Buddha Caves, it is located on the Small Jishi Hill, about 35 kilometers west of Yongjing County in Lanzhou City. Being one of the very noted four caves in China, it is the second to Mogao Caves in respect of artistic value.

After the sightseeing you will be driven to Xiahe.

Day 4

Xiahe (B, L)

Sightseeing: Labrang Monastery, Octagonal Town site

You will have a visit to the Labrang Monastery. Labrang Monastery (or Labuleng Lamasery) of Xiahe is in the county town, built in 1710. It's one of the six most important leading lamaseries of the Yellow Hat Buddhist Sect in China, largest around Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan provinces. The monastery is now the most important religious and cultural activity center for Tibetan outside Tibet Autonomous Region. It boasts the best Tibetan Buddhism system and is hailed as the world’s institution of Tibetology.

Continue the tour to visit the Octagonal Town site, as the name implies, Octagonal Town has eight corners, but it is actually in the shape of a "cross". The total length of the town is 2193.4 meters, and covers an area of 300 mu. Architecturally, the town was built before the Tang Dynasty.

Today you will visit a local Tibetan family.

Day 5

Xiahe/Xining (B, L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Longwu Monastery, Wutun Monastery

After breakfast you will be driven to Xining. On the way you will visit Longwu Monastery, in Amdo Tibetan area, its size and influence are only after the Labrang Monastery in Gansu Province and the Ta'er Monastery in Qinghai Province, and you will also visit Wutun Monastery, divided into Wutun Upper Monastery and Wutun Lower Monastery, it covers an area of some 50,000 square meters. Wutun Monastery is one of the most concentrated and typical monasteries in the collection of Regong art works. It is also one of the monasteries with more precious cultural relics in Qinghai Province. There are murals, piles embroiders Tang Ka, paintings and sculptures preserved in the monastery.

Day 6

Xining/Zhangye (B, L)

Transfer via: Bullet train on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Ta'er Monastery

This morning you will visit Ta'er Monastery (Kumbum Monastery). It is one of the six great monasteries of the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Built in 1557 on sacred land, the monastery is still quite active with 600 monks. It is the birthplace of Tsong Khapa, founder of the Yellow Hat (Gelupa sect), and is known for its sculptures of human figures, animals and landscapes carved out of Yak Butter.

Then you will be transferred to railway station and take bullet train to Zhangye. Arrive in Zhangye, be met and transferred to hotel.

Day 7

Zhangye/Jiayuguan (B, L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Danxia National Geological Park

In the morning you will visit Danxia National Geological Park, which is the best representative of China's colorful Danxia landform and the largest Danxia landscape in an arid area, with a wide variety of landforms.

Then you will be driven to Jiayuguan.

Day 8

Jiayuguan (B, L)

Sightseeing: Jiayuguan Fort, Great Wall Museum, Overhanging Great Wall, Tombs of Wei and Jin Dynasty

Today you will visit Jiayuguan Fort. Located in the western end of Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, Jiayuguan Fort is the main part of the western end of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty. It is the first mountain pass of the west Yellow River.

Then visit the Great Wall Museum, China's first museum to feature the history and culture of the Great Wall.

Go ahead to visit Overhanging Great Wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Work began on it in 1539, and was completed in the following year. It was built using layer upon layer of stone and yellow earth. In subsequent years, the wall has dwindled from its original length of 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) to its current 750 meters (2, 460 feet).The Overhanging Wall gets its name because there is a 231 meter long section, with an obliquity of 45 degrees, built onto a 150m high ridge. From a distance, it is said to resemble a dragon about to extend its body towards the ground.  

Continue the tour to visit the Tombs of Wei and Jin Dynasty, located about 15 kilometers northeast of Jiayuguan, Wei-Jin Mural Brick Tomb is a big tomb group with over 1,400 tombs built between the 3rd Century and 5th Century during the Wei and Jin dynasties. Renowned as the largest subterranean art gallery in the world, housing a great deal of colorful murals, the gallery has attracted tourists from both home and abroad since 1972 when it was excavated. Most tombs are of families, housing bodies of three or four generations, and now only Grave 6 and Grave 7 are open for tourism.

Day 9

Jiayuguan/Dunhuang (B, L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Yulin Grottoes

After breakfast you will be driven to Dunhuang. On the way you will visit Yulin Grottoes, also called Thousands of Buddha Gorge, the sister cave of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, it is an important part of the Dunhuang Grotto art system.

In the evening you can have a leisure walk at the Dunhuang Shazhou night market.

Day 10

Dunhuang (B, L)

Sightseeing: Echoing Sand Dune and Crescent Lake, Dunhuang Museum

This morning you will visit the Echoing Sand Dune and Crescent Lake. When there is wild wind, the sands will be blown up and make loud sound, like being produced by some ancient musical instrument when blew by breeze, hence the name. The Crescent Lake, just like its name indicates it is in a natural shape of half-moon and had been commonly considered as one of the Eight Great Landscapes of Dunhuang.

In the afternoon visit the Dunhuang Museum. It is a local museum for keeping the cultural relics that were found in Dunhuang. The Dunhuang Museum reflects the flourishing social development and cultural exchange between China and the West during the time when Dunhuang was a major center along the Silk Road. A trip to the Dunhuang Museum will provide visitors with a greater understanding of the history and culture of the Chinese people and their ancient civilization.

Day 11

Dunhuang (B, L)

Sightseeing: Mogao Grottoes, Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center, Yumen Pass, Han Dynasty Extends of the Great Wall

Visit Mogao Grottoes and the Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center. Mogao Grottoes, a famous site on the ancient Silk Road, it holds the world's richest treasure house of Buddhist sutras, murals and sculptures.

Go ahead for the Yumen Pass. Back in ancient times this pass was one of two passes (Yumen Pass, and Yangguan Pass) that protected, and ensured the safety and smooth travels for passing caravans, and visitors in and out of China via ancient Silk Road. It was quite ruined by the shifting sands but still shows the ever splendor. 

Move to visit the Han Dynasty Extends of the Great Wall. This part of the Great Wall was built for defending the nomadic Xiongnu during the Han Dynasty (206 BC--220 AD). With over 2000 years’ erosion of wind and rain, as well as the damage of quicksand, parts of it razed but most of it are still well preserved.

Day 12

Dunhuang/Turpan (B, L)

Transfer via: Bullet train on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Tombs of the Western Jin Dynasty

This morning you will visit Tombs of the Western Jin Dynasty. Then you will be transferred to railway station in Liuyuan and take bullet train to Turpan. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to hotel.

Day 13

Turpan (B, L)

Sightseeing: Ancient City of Jiaohe, Karez Well System, Emin Minaret

Today you will visit Ancient City of Jiaohe (Yarkhoto), or called Jiaohe Ruins, it is one of the world's largest, oldest historic sites and the best preserved raw soil buildings with more than 2,000 years.

Continue to visit Karez Well System, which was once the main source of water for both field irrigation and daily life in ancient times.

Go ahead for Emin Minaret (Sugong Pagoda). More than 240 years have gone by since the pagoda was established in 1777, it is the largest Islamic tower in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Today you will also visit a local Uyghur family.

Day 14

Turpan (B, L)

Sightseeing: Ancient City of Gaochang, Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Caves, Tuyugou Valley

Today you will visit to the Ancient City of Gaochang, which is known as the largest site of ancient city in China western region so far, it was served as the capital of Gaochang Kingdom (460-640) in the ancient time.

Passing by the Flaming Mountain to visit the Bezkelik Thousand Buddha Caves, once was an important Buddhist site with many caves covered with brightly painted murals, Bezeklik means "place of paintings" in Uighur. The caves were hewn into the cliff-side, with large murals, monks used to live inside the caves and the frescoes here clearly represent the life work of generations of devotees. Unfortunately, this place was damaged by the locals who converted to Islam in the 10th century and looted by the western archaeologists in the early 20th century.

Then proceed to visit Tuyugou Valley. It is a desert oasis seldom visited by tourists, known for its fantastic rock peaks, seedless grapes, and Buddhist meditation caves dating back to the 3rd century A.D.

Day 15

Turpan/Urumqi (B, L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Xinjiang Autonomous Region Museum, International Bazzar

After breakfast you will be driven to Urumqi. On the way you will have a distant view of Chaiwopu Wind Power Station (the largest wind power station in Asia) on tour vehicle.

Arrive in Urumqi, you will visit Xinjiang Autonomous Region Museum (close on each Monday), which was officially opened in 1959 and reconstructed in 2005 with a total area of 17,228 square meters. The exhibition hall houses more than 40,000 precious cultural relics and specimens, national relics, revolution relics.

Then you will go ahead to visit the International Grand Bazzar. As the largest bazaar in the world, it sets Islamic culture, architecture, ethnic commerce, entertainment and catering in one, and reputed as the "Window of Xinjiang", "Window of Central Asia" and even the "Window of the World".

Day 16

Urumqi (B, L)

Sightseeing: Heavenly Lake and Heavenly Mountain Scenic Area

Today you will visit the Heavenly Lake and Heavenly Mountain Scenic Area. The scenic area sits on form a natural highland scenic area surrounded by snow mountains and coniferous forest. In a shape of half-moon at an height of 1910 meters above the sea-level, the Heavenly Lake is just like a green pearl inlayed into the northern side of the Heavenly Mountain, 3400 meters in length, 800-1500 meters in width and 105 meters in deepest point.

Day 17

Urumqi/Kashgar (B, L)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Idgar Mosque, Kashgar Old City

This morning you will be transferred to airport and take flight to Kashgar.

Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to visit Idgar Mosque. It is the largest mosque in Xinjiang, and has a history of over 500 years. The whole mosque is over 140 meters in length and 120 meters in width. Light green is the featured color of the gate, elaborate carvings are everywhere on the gate, representing classic Islamic characteristics.

Continue to visit Kashgar Old City, the only labyrinthine city block in China featuring Islamic culture.

In the afternoon you will enjoy Chinese tea at a century old teahouse in the ancient town.

Day 18

Kashgar (B, L)

Sightseeing: Sunday Bazzar, Abakh Khoja Tomb, Shiqu Dong (urban east) Bazzar

If it happens to be Sunday, you will start the tour to visit the Sunday Bazzar (bazzar means market, Sunday Bazzar only available on Sundays).

Then proceed to visit the Abakh Khoja Tomb, which is also known as the Tomb of Xiang Fei (Fragrant Lady) in China. Situating 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) northeast of Kashgar City, Abakh Khoja Tomb is an ancient Islamic building, where five generations of a famous Islamic master were buried. It is also commonly known as the tomb of Xiangfei, the only Uygur concubine of Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Go ahead for the Shiqu Dong (urban east) Bazzar, which is the largest international trade market in Northwest China.

Day 19

Kashgar/Taxkorgan (B, L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Baisha Lake, Karakuri Lake

Today you will be driven to Taxkorgan (about 7 hours driving). On the way you will have a stop at Baisha Lake. The lake is like a mirror, and the white sand is like snow --the scenery there is really shocking.

You will also have a stop at the Karakuri Lake. Located at the foot of Muztaga Peak, it is about 191 kilometers from Kashgar City. Covering an area of 10 square kilometers, Karakuri Lake is about 30 meters deep with an altitude of 3,600 meters which is an alpine glacial erosion lake famous for its reflection of snow mountains around.

Arrive at Taxkorgan in the evening.

Day 20

Taxkorgan (B, L)

Sightseeing: Stone City, Golden Grass Land

Today you will visit the ruins of Stone City, this ancient city was built several hundreds of years ago. Located at the north–east of Taxkorgan, it was the capital of ancient Puli Kingdom, one of the 36 kingdoms in the western regions in ancient China's Han Dynasty, now on foot of the stone city living the local people.

Go ahead to visit the Golden Grass Land scenic area, which is a wetland on the Pamirs.

You will also have a visit of a Tajik family today.

Day 21

Taxkorgan/Kashgar (B, L)

Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement

You will be driven back to Kashgar today. Free at leisure for the rest of the day after a long Silk Route trip.

Day 22

Kashgar/Urumqi/Guangzhou (B)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement

This morning you will be transferred to airport for your flight to Urumqi, where you will connect your flight to Guangzhou on your own.